'Tis the Season for New Electronics

Go green by recycling your old electronics responsibly

Chances are that someone in your home received a new electronic gadget this holiday season. Hillsborough County Solid Waste reminds residents to recycle obsolete or broken electronics that may contain lead, mercury, and other toxic materials. They should not be thrown out with regular, household garbage.

Items containing a digital display or circuit board, including televisions, computers, laptops, mobile devices, stereo equipment, gaming consoles, VCR/DVD players, and printers, may be safely recycled at sites that will take them for free.

The most generous way to discard working electronics is to inquire about donating them to a local shelter, charity or thrift store. Additionally, many electronics retailers have free recycling programs for both working and broken devices.

Residents in Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, and the City of Temple Terrace may recycle limited quantities of household electronics at one of four Community Collection Centers by presenting a photo ID:

The Community Collection Centers are self-unloading facilities open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., with the exception of holidays. They will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Disposal of other items accepted at the centers, such as appliances, furniture, lead-acid batteries, and tires, require a photo I.D. and a property tax bill showing the Hillsborough County Solid Waste Disposal Assessment.

Small bathroom and kitchen appliances such as toasters, crock pots, electric skillets, blenders, hair dryers, and curling irons may be discarded in your regular trash. Microwave ovens may be recycled as scrap metal at any Community Collection Center.

For more information on items accepted at Hillsborough County Solid Waste facilities, hours, and contact numbers, go here.

Sign up for the week's 5 must reads.

Get the Friday 5 - our weekly roundup of the top Newsroom stories - delivered straight to your email.